New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-27
A GREAT STRIKE IMPENDING
FORTY THOUSAND MEN TO LEAVE WORK.
The KNIGHTS OF LABOR DETERMINED TO cOHRcu
THE COAL COMPANIES AND THE OLD DOMINION
LNE-HARBOR COMMERCE. TO BE PRACTI-
CALLY sTOPPED-THE POLICE READY

Board OF District Assembly No. 40 10 Join the
coal-handlers' and the Old Dominion strikes,
ms action was considered necessary on account
OF the close connection which had sprung UP be-
tween the two wlthin the last few days. Tho
Executive Board have also resolved to make d
sharp and decisive fight A meeting Of the fun
ooard was held last night In FythaeOris Han
ana ehe matter was discussed in all its details.
lt was decided to recommend to all the men
working on steamships, whether under the juris.
diction OF District No. 40 or not, 30 quit world
to-day and stay out until the demands of the
New-Jersey coalhandlcrs and the Old Dominion
longshoremen have been granted.
AS result Of this decision the Ocean Associa.
tion has prepared the following notice. whicb
will be issued to-lay:
United We stand; divided we fall"
by the united action Of the coal managers centraliza-
ton OF power exists detrimental to the best inter-
to us to be to trampe labor In the dust wehave resolved
to stand by each other The Old Dominion Company has
pledge ourselves to stand by each other until moder
ate requests are granted We ask ony for bare living
zaton comprises the oneshOremen coal.
handlers grain-trinmers. coal boatmen tug
ooatmen lghtermen. etc, and this combination Of wage
earners who have made possible the accumulation OF the
sgahc fortunes OF this combination Of capitalists do
erneu 10 OBTAIN living wages In return for labor
Hence it is likely that nearly 10000 men in and
about New-York city will be or strike this morn.
Ing and that water commerce in the harbor viii
be Tor time paralyzed, the order to strkd
includes not only the coal-handers who load
coal from barges 10 the bunkers of the steamers.
but the men who handle freight, the. grain
elevator men and lightermen. At q meeting yes
terday matters were still further complicated
by resolution Of the men who work on harbou
steamers not to work with coal that comes from
the companies whose men are strike, and as
the boats are only able to get coal from these
companies, this means that the tug boats and
harbor craft generally will be tied up as soon az
their present coal supply is exhausted.
Already the steamship companies have begun I'd
feel the effects Of the trouble, AMI on several of
the lines the sailing of steamers has had to be-
postponed because they could not get in their coal
supply. and now that the strike is TO be madd
general the difficulty will be much greater.
The idea Of the Executive Board of District
Assembly No. Az is that only by general action
can the demands of the men be enforced. They
have found that it is possible for the companies
TO get men to fill their places when the strilSd
is confined to a few companies, but by creating d
demand in all branches Of the shipping business
they hope to make it impossible for any of thcm
to do their work properly. and thus they will be-
forced to acceed to the demands of the strikers.
Executive Board of the Knights of Labor and has
met with their sanction. 1t is possible that with.
in day or two member of the General
Board will be in the city to advise with tho
managers Of the strike and to give them the aid
and support Of the entire body Of the Knights Of
Labor.
One Of the members Of the Executive Board
said yesterday: "1bis fight must be fought and
won. Ii il is necessary will extend il to otheE
ports. We arc confident however, that the pres
cnt move will convince the coal companies and tho
Old Dominion people that we are in earnest. and
this. with the pressure that will be brought ia
bear upon them by the other sufferers. will force
them TO grant the demands Of their men fou
living wages
The men have been quiet and do not intend td
create any disturbance. On this point explicit
nstructions have been issued to the piclIets and
others by the leaders of the strike, and any in
fraction of them will be met with speedy punish
ment. the leaders say. They claim that in such
a lar;e body of men isolated of ,i1lence will
occur, but every effort will be made to rcduca
such cases DO q minimum.
The police. however. do not place much de-
pendence on the pacific talk of the strikers, and
Superintendent Murray is determined that tho
cases of violence shall not only be reduced TO a
minimum, but that the perpetrators shall havo
speedy punishment meted cut To them. VIM
that end in view he issued general order yes
crday to the captains Of all the precincts to keep
heir of rlatoOns In the stations ready for duty
At any time. They will be kept duty until all
lancer of trouble has PASSED. In addition to this
llr. Murray has detailed 200 men from the various
precincts to report to Captain Gastlin. of this
steamboat Squad. and these with the regular men
# that squad were placed ab various places along
hp riinpf FRONT wbeIn ttorIhln wa fnarp1 Wlita
here were few calls for their services yesterday.
heir presence undoubtedly acted as a restraining
orce.
Mr Murray said 30 TRIBUNE reporter in
cgard to his precautionary measures: VI have
10 special reason to eXIcct violence at this time
,ut the general condition OF the strike il such
hat l think it is well to be prepared for any
-, u
As TO the probable duration Of the strikc
,eii bcr side will express an opinion. Both tho
oal companies and the Od Dominion Steamship
'ompanv are firm in their determination not td
i've ip while the men seem equally detcrm,heu
o remain out until their demands are complieu
nth.
Eoth strikes were primarily against reduction
, vapcs In the case of the coal-handcrs the
ION received twenty two and half cents an hour.
ONE time ago they were informed biat their
ages were to be reduced to twenty cents iho
zen at Weehawken in the employ OF the Deia-
are and Hudson Canal Company were the hiso
, strike but they were quiChN ioiio"e" ~ '"o
.aLhaudlers and trlmmcIs all along the Jersey
asst shortly after the strike began the coni-
anles were Informed that the men would noo
turn to work until they received twenty -n,e
euts an hour. From the coalhanclcIs the striKo
bread to the bralkcmcn, the boatmen ana o'heis
ngagei in the transportation OIL coai In "h"
bout the city. g.. 49,
The Old Dominion trouble is similar In It's na"
ire. The longshoremen employed by that COM
INV were receiving twenty-five cents an hour,
hen they were reduced TO sl2 week OF SiAty
ours. with twenty-fv cents an hour Tor oNer
me. After they had struck they made demand
=, tho reou,ar union scale of thirty cents an hour
" day work and sixty cents for night work.
Roth bodies Of strikers are attached TO Dlstric0
ssemby No. 40 Of the Knights Of Labor ana tno
xecutive Board Of that district have them IN
lar-c. All of the wollinsmen who are employees
,out ships or boats in New'lork iiaroor .S
q - dntion made last night. whch Is